32 Toddler Dinner Ideas That Win Over Even Picky Eaters

• Time Commitment: 1 hour
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 6

Nothing tops cozying up to a gooey, meaty bowl of pasta—and we're betting your picky eaters will agree. Pancetta and Italian sausage keep things flavorful and savory, but you can nix them (and double the fresh mozz) to make it taste milder.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 6

Replace half of the noodles with roasted cauliflower, and you've got a healthy-ish main dish that everyone in the family will devour. Don't worry though: It's still topped with plenty of Parm, butter and panko.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

Hello, summer meal of our dreams. We love using mafaldine pasta, elbows or lasagna noodles cut into squares to make this crowd-pleaser finger food-friendly for tiny hands.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, kid-friendly, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
• Serves: 6 to 8

A three-ingredient toddler dinner idea that’s guaranteed to please everyone in the family—what can go wrong? Best of all, it’s ready in 15 minutes flat. Bring on the Parm.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pot, beginner-friendly, vegetarian, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 6

Can we tell you a secret? You don’t have to drain the pasta, or even boil a separate pot of water. Just cook it in milk and voilà: There’s only one dirty dish to clean. Add pepperoni, spinach, mushrooms or any mix-ins your toddler will actually eat.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, one pan, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

Dinner on the table in 30 minutes? Check. Only one dirty dish to wash? Check. Spaghetti that stays on the plate instead of all over the floor? Can’t win 'em all, friend. Sub Alfredo sauce or pesto for red sauce if your kid isn't a fan.

• Time Commitment: 23 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <500 calories, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4 to 6

Everyone loves pesto, and this sneaky version is an excellent way to introduce the broccoli that your toddler would otherwise snub. There’s no broccoli flavor in the finished dish, just the regular fresh basil flavor and copious amounts of cheese you would find in a traditional pesto, plus the addition of green olives for a little extra saltiness. (Don’t worry, your kid won’t know about the olives, either.)

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, vegetarian
• Serves: 2

Tiny pasta and tomato sauce has been pleasing toddlers for decades. Try this homemade version for a slightly elevated version that will please adult palates, too. The cooking process really isn’t much more involved than cooking up the canned stuff, and the crispy Manchego cheese garnish complements the sauce perfectly.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: sheet pan recipe, vegetarian, kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser
• Serves: 8

Need to get a toddler dinner idea on the table as quickly as possible? Your tot will be happily eating in 30 minutes flat, thanks to this oversized quesadilla. Pair it with all the store-bought fixings for minimal effort, like salsa and guacamole.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, make ahead
• Serves: 4

Step away from the freezer aisle, friend. These dunkable, cinnamon-kissed strips are super easy to prepare at home (and you can totally sneak in some whole-grain bread without the kids noticing).

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 4

He’s always asking for tater tots, right? This spud-free toddler dinner idea is pretty similar, but it's made with cauliflower and baked in the oven instead of fried. That’s a win-win for both of you, if you ask us.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 10 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4 to 6

Our suggestion: Make it easy on yourself by skipping the homemade dough and grab a ball from the grocery store. (Or better yet, ask your local pizza shop if they’ll let you buy a few and keep them in the freezer until you need one.)

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten free, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 3 to 6

This short stack is secretly healthy, thanks to a banana, apple cider vinegar, coconut flour and almond milk (and nope, no sugar). So go ahead, let your toddler pour the syrup on herself.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes (plus chilling time)
• Why I Love It: vegan, <10 ingredients, make ahead
• Serves: 4

Pop quiz: What’s even better than a cheesy rice ball? Answer: A fried cheesy rice ball. They're best made with day-old risotto. On the inside, you'll find plant-based mozz and peas.

• Time Commitment: 50 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy, gluten free
• Serves: 12

These potato and carrot quiche cups look fancy enough to serve to adults and toddlers alike at a party. Best of all, they’re gluten-free, thanks to an inventive potato crust, which delivers all the nutrients without the wheat. Plus, the combination of extra cheesy potatoes and fluffy eggs basically guarantee your kid won’t even notice the carrots.

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 8

Forget onion rings: These crispy oven-baked squash rings are about to become your toddler's new favorite finger food. (And if she hates the lemon dipping sauce, ketchup and honey mustard are fine substitutes.)

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 2

When you were a kid, you ate Kraft singles on white bread. Kick things up a notch with sourdough and three types of cheese (mozzarella, cheddar and goat) that your toddler is basically guaranteed to love.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 6

Your kid’s favorite food is chicken nuggets (and sure, you’ve been known to steal a few). But they aren’t typically the most nutritious meal—unless they’ve been breaded with quinoa and baked in the oven, that is. Serve them with honey mustard, ketchup and barbecue sauce.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, no cook
• Serves: 6

Don't make sandwiches for supper—make boats. Trust us, your family will thank you. (The store-bought rotisserie chicken is the shortcut you'll be grateful for.) Omit the scallions to make these even more toddler-friendly.

• Time Commitment: 25 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, make ahead, no cook
• Serves: 6

Salami, pepperoni, prosciutto and provolone await in these meal prep-worthy sammies. But you can sub in turkey or ham (or use nothing but cheese) as needed to satisfy your high-maintenance eater.

• Time Commitment: 6 hours and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, high protein, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

It’s never too early to introduce your kiddo to international cuisine (but maybe save the chopsticks lessons for when she’s a little older). Serve the chicken with white rice, over noodles or on soft buns.

• Time Commitment: 20 minutes
• Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, high protein
• Serves: 4

When it comes to toddler dinner ideas, breakfast food is always an easy win. Toss the leftovers you have on hand into a frittata (along with any less-than-stellar produce hiding in your fridge) and let her feast.

• Time Commitment: 55 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Your toddler never met a chicken finger she didn’t like. This more nutritious baked spin on the classic is no exception (especially when you pair it with honey mustard, ranch dressing or sweet barbecue sauce).

• Time Commitment: 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: one pan, high protein, beginner-friendly, <500 calories
• Serves: 4

SEO Editor Marissa Wu says you can’t go wrong with this easy recipe: “I was an au pair back in the day, and I can't remember a single kid who turned down a fish stick. Even I can't turn one down! Crispy, hot and honestly, homemade is great but if you feel like doing premade frozen ones, no one will complain." Pair it with tartar sauce for a more adventurous toddler or just stick with ketchup. Heck, they’re even tasty plain.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 5 minutes
• Why I Love It: high protein, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 4

Put a twist on classic chicken nuggets with this delicious recipe that also includes a copycat Chick-Fil-A sauce. By using coconut flour in the breading, these guys are naturally gluten-free. Plus, they're marinated in pickle juice for extra flavor.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser, special occasion-worthy
• Serves: 12+

These well-seasoned pieces of fried chicken go perfectly with impressively fluffy homemade waffles. Play to your toddler's sweet tooth by coating the waffles in cinnamon sugar for good measure.

• Time Commitment: 1 hour and 40 minutes
• Why I Love It: kid-friendly, high protein
• Serves: 4

Show us a toddler who doesn't love a food shaped like another food. Enter "pacos," aka pancake tacos stuffed with bacon, eggs and cheese. The recipe calls for a drizzle of hot sauce, but syrup works just as well.

• Time Commitment: 3 hours and 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 8

Pie crust is always welcome at your toddler's high chair. You can save a ton of time in prep by opting for the store-bought kind instead of making your own dough. With all that bacon, we're sure your tot won't mind.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes (plus marinating time)
• Why I Love It: high protein, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Don't let the umami-rich miso deter you: Its funk is tamed just right with a mix of rich butter and sweet honey. Boneless, skin-on chicken offers crisp, succulent fattiness to every bite, but you can use skinless pieces if you'd prefer.

• Time Commitment: 15 minutes
• Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <30 minutes, <10 ingredients
• Serves: 2 to 4

Last night's noodles can be transformed into a protein-packed, delightfully cheesy toddler dinner idea in a mere 15 minutes. Long pasta is ideal here (think spaghetti, fettuccine or bucatini), but elbows or penne will work in a pinch.

• Time Commitment: 35 minutes
• Why I Love It: gluten-free, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly
• Serves: 4

Bust out the spiralizer (or try this peeler hack) to make these puppies. Then sit back and watch as your children start asking for them on repeat. If your toddler doesn’t like ham, you can substitute bacon, or just omit the meat completely—the point is that you will get your picky eater to enjoy a seasonal vegetable by disguising it as cheesy spaghetti in muffin form.

• Time Commitment: 30 minutes
• Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, <10 ingredients, gluten-free
• Serves: 12

Here, another savory muffin that will get your toddler to eat their veggies. The secret to the big flavor here is adding a little salsa to the mix, but obviously you would be wise to choose a very mild one. Beyond that, I love that the recipe is so customizable. As long as you don’t forget the bacon, you can swap the sweet potato and broccoli for whatever veggies you have on hand.